Machinery for the manufacture of fiber boards



May 14, 1929. w. B HOGGATT MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FIBER BOARDS Filed April 19, 1928 the manufacture of boards, panelsand the Patented May 14, 1929. v

UNITED STA WILFORD B.

TES' PATENT OFFICE."

noeearr, or NEW LONDON, ooNNnoricurnssrsNon OF ONE TWENTY- FIFTH 'O owEN o. WOLFE, or. NORWICH, CONNECTICUT.

MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FIBER BOARDS.

Application filed April 19, 1928. Serial No. Z'H I'YZ.

This invention relates to machinery for like out of fibrous pulp.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine which is simple and economical to construct, easyto'oporate, and efiicient in operation, for use in the manufacture of 1 fibrous materialinto sheetfpanels, boards or other like products. b

A further object of the invention is to provide a machineof the general nature referred to adapted to operate on fibrous ma-.

terial which hasbeen reduced to the condition of pulp, and to form the samerap1dly, economically and efiiciently into boards, panels, sheets or other products of commerce. I

A further object is to provide a machine of the character referred to wherein the fibers composing or contained in the pulp are efficiently felted on both-surfaces of the pulp sheet which iswound or otherwiseapplied upon itself in building up the board, panel or the like to the required thickness, whereby an eflicient bonding together is secured between adjacent and successive lay: ers or laps of such pulp sheet, thereby increasing the tenacity of such bonding and securing a stronger and more durable and desirable board or panel product.

A. further object is to proyide a machineof the nature referred to wherein the .pulp materialtffis elliciently and thoroughly in pregnated in its pulpy state with suitable fircproofing, waterproofing, electrical insulating or other desirable compounds, the excessof which contained in the pulp material can be extracted therefrom and used over again without loss or dilution.

A further object 1s to provide Lnieans whereby the'p'ulp material is progressed through the sheet forming and liquid extracting operations by a traveling carrier which-is kept clean and free from clogging thereby resulting in the production of a board, panel or other product which is uniforni in densitythroughout, and free from irregularities, soft spots and other undesirable characteristics produced by the clogging up of the mesh interstices of a pulp carrier netting. I i

@ther objects of the invention'will appear more fully hereinafter. i

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location and relasheet by the combined action of the mesh tive arrangement of parts all aswill be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in the 7 accompanying drawing, and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a view in top plan of a machine for use in the manufacture of pulp boards, panels or the like and embodying the principles of my invention, parts being in horizontal section.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section in the line 2,2, of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a view in diagram outline indicating the condition of the pulp sheet at various stages of its production.

Fig. 4 is a broken detailed view in section I somewhat enlarged illustrating the felting, action exerted upon the surface of'the pulp or wire net carrier and'a suction roll.

In-the'ma-nufacture of fiber sheets, boards and the like, it has heretofore been the practice to employ perforated rollers each covered with a wire netting, a vacuum pump or other exhausting device being connected to the interior of such rolls in the usual manner of paper making, one or both of the rolls operating within a vat containing the fibrous pulp material. The rolls as heretofore employed are in adjacent parallel rel ation to each other, the one delivering the pulp sheet picked up upon its surface from the pulp containing vat to the other of said rolls, the latter delivering the sheet to a third roll upon which the pulpsheet. is wound to the desired thickness. The resulting pulp cylinderthus formed is thensplit longitudinally and-flattenedout and dried to produce the final sheet or board product. Various difficulties are encountered in the use of such apparatus. 7

In the first place the wire mesh coverings applied over and uponthe rolls frequently get clogged up by the accumulation therein of pulp material under treatment, that is to say, the interstices of the wire netting become filled thereby requiring close attention and care on the part of the operator to keep the same clean and free from clog. Any inattention-or failure on the part of the attendant or operatorin this respect results in a failure of the vacuum to uniformly extract the liquid portion-of the pulp material throughout the entire mass of the pulp sheet sheet where the liquid portion of the pulp being formed on. therolls. 'The result is that various spots are produced within and at various points throughout the body of the .treated with fire-proofing, water-proofing,

insulating and similar compounds, it is desirable in the economical operation of the machine to save the material extracted from the pulp while passing over the rolls so that the extracted liquid containing these valuable compounds may be recovered and used over again without dilution with any water or other liquid employed to eifectvthe cleaning of the wire mesh netting which covers the rolls.

' It isamong the specific purposes of my present invention to provide an apparatus which will enable the wire netting referred to to be used in the form of an endless carrier operating sucessively over the rolls whereby the interstices of its Inesh may be efficiently cleaned by water jets or otherwise and at a point removed and separated from the place where the liquid content of thepulp sheet is being extracted thereby enal'ing the valuable pulp liquid containing any fire-proofing, water-proofing, insulating ,or

, other compound to be recovered for utilizasheet to be formed may tion over-again and without dilution from the medium employed to'maintain the wire' netting clean and free from clogging.

, It is also among the special purposes of my invention to provide means whereby on the same machine the width of the pulp trolled.

It is also among the special purposes of my invention to properly and efliciently felt the surface of the pulp sheetbeing formed and e cient binding together of successive and adjacent layers of such sheet in building up the board, panel or other product.

In the accompanyin drawing I have shown an arrangement of apparatus embodying the principles of' my invention for obtaining the special and other objects and purposes hereinaboveinoted.

In the structure and arrangement as shown Iemploy a suitable vat or tank divided into various compartments as indicated at 6, 7 and 8 above which are, mounted the rolls indicated generally at 9, 10, 11 and 12. The rolls 9, 10 and 11 are preferably of the vacu um type such as is employed in connection with paper making machines. I have found that vacuum rolls of the general type disclosed in the Milspaugh Patent'No. 13,100, reissued December 7 ,1915 is suitable for my be varied and conoperated upon so as to ensure a proper andpurpose. A rranged to operate in conjunction with the rolls 9, 10 and 11 is an endless wire mesh carrier 13 which is trained around suitable guides 14 so as to pass up over and partially around roll 9, thence to beneath and partially around roll 10, thence to and partially over and around roll 11 and thence over the guides 14 back to roll 9. This wire nettin serves as a traveling carrier for the pulp sheet formed thereon, the latter being delivered from roll 11 to and wound upon the receiving roll 12 so as to build up on the said roll 12, successive layers of the pulp sheet,'to roduce a pulp cylinder of the required thickness which, when split open and roll 9 operates partially within one of the compartments of the vat or tank as for example, compartment 6 thereof which con- The vacuumtains the pulp material.

created within the cylinder 9 serves to cause the pulp material to be picked up and to adhere to the surface of the wire mesh carrier where the latter operates around said roll, the thickness of the pulp sheet thus picked up from the pulp containing compartment of the tank being regulated in the usual way familiar to the paper making art.

As the picked up pulp material is carricd over the surface of cylinder 9 which is perforated, it is subjected to the suction action created by the vacuum produced within said cylinder. The layer of pulp material'thuspickcd up is carried partially around the surface of the-cylinder 9 indicated at 15 in Figure 2. The effect of the suction action exerted thereon is to felt that surface of the pulp material which is presented against the carrier '13 and presents towards the surface of the cylinder. This means that particlcsof the fiber content of the pulp material are par tially drawn out of the pulp mass and into the interstices of the wire mesh of the carrier as indicated at 16, Figures 2, 3 and 4;. This suction action also serves to extract a portion of the liquid content of the pulp material as it passes over and partially around roll 9. The traveling Wire netting 13 pro gresses the pulp sheet or layer from roll 9 to and partially under and around roll 10 where it is again subjected to the suction action of the vacuum created within said roll 10. This results in felting the opposite surface of the pulp sheet being formed as indicated at 17 in Figures 2 and 3, that is the partial drawing out of a portion of the fibers composing the pulp sheet from surface thereof which is presented towards the peripherial surface of roll 10. l/Vhile the material is being carried around or partially around the roll 10 an additional portion of the liquid or fluid content of the pulp material is extracted herefromby the suction action of the vacuum maintained in said roll. From carrier 13 proceeds on around the guides lat and back to roll 9.

The proper felting of the pulp sheet is of verygreat importance in the manufacture of the final panel, board or the like for thereason that the felting produced in the manner described, enables the blndmg together of the successive layers or COIlS of the pulp sheet to be more eiiiciently aecom-.

I in

plishecl. In other words, the more efficient and uniform the felting the more secure \Vlll become the bonding of successive layers or laps of the sheet and hence the stronger,-

more compact and more dense will be the final panel or board product. Any clogging of the interstices of the wire netting or carrier 13 prevents and impairs not only the felting of the surface of the pulp sheet, but also causes failure in the'uniform and prop- .er extraction from the pulp material of the liquid or fluid contents thereof, thereby leaving soft spots at various points wherever the clogging occurs in the body of the pulp sheet being produced. This results in not only impairing the bonding of successive laps or layers of the pulp sheet, but it also causes irregularities in the strength, and density at various points throughout the body of the final panel or board product. To prevent this I provide means for maintaining constantly clean and free fronrclogging the interstices of the meshed wire carrier without depending upon the care and attention of the operator. This result-T accomplish by arranging to deliver cleaning jets of water for example as indicated at 18 upon, against or through the wire netting of the carrier in the return leg or portion thereof from the last roll 11 of the series back to the initial roll 9.

llt is a common practice, in the production of fireproof or water-proof boards or 'panels or material suitable for electric or heat insulation or the like, or having other special-characteristics, to incorporate within the pulp material suitable compositions and chemicals having the required characteristics. Such compounds are expensive and for economy of operation, it is important to recover the liquid or fluid content extracted from the pulp material while in process of treatment for utilization over again and where water, steam or other cheap liquid is employed for cleaning the interstices of the wire netting, it is important to prevent the several rolls are driven.

waste of the cleaning water from mingling with the extracted or recovered pulp liquid or fluid in order to prevent dilution of the latter and to permit its economical use over again. I therefore provide one of the compartments of the tank as for example, compartment 7 to receive the liquid or fluid content extracted from the pulp sheet andl provide another compartment or receptacle as shown, for example at 8 to receive and collect the waste water, employed for cleaning the traveling wire netting. From the latter the surplus of cleaning water may escape or be drawn oil through drain pipe 19. If desired or required, a suitable baii'lc 20 may be employed to insure the separation of the cleaning water from the liquid or fluid extracted from the pulp material, said ballle being suitably disposed to insure the direction of the cleaning water into the compartment or receptacle 8. The liquid or fluid contained in the compartment or receptacle 7 may be returned into the compartment or receptacle 6 for use over again with fresh charges of pulp material.

The suction rolls as above indicated may be of the usual and ordinary structure such as are employed in paper making. These suction rollsor structure may consist of cylinder 21 which are perforated and mounted for rotativc movement. I liave shown at 22 suitable gearing by means of which the The suction box structure by means of which the desired dcgree of vacuum may be applied to certain portions of the perforated cylinder may be of the usual or any ordinary or suitable type of structure. I lraveshown a simple arrangement wherein the suction box is indicated at 23. This is in the form of an in" terrupted portion or segment 2-1 of a cylinder which is also perforated and is mounted within the cylinder 21 and is non-rotative whereby when the enclosing perforated cylindcr 21 is rotated, the perfiu'ations through the cylinder walls thereof are brought succcssivcly withinthe influence of the vacu un space 25 of the suction box and then within the area of the portion or chamber 26 which is open to the atmosphere and hence out of the influence of the vacuum maintained within the vacuum space or chamber '25.

The vacuunrmaybe maintained in any suitable way within the chamber or space 25 as for instance through a pipe connec tion 27, 28 to the latter of which is adapted to be connected to an exhaust pump or other means (not shown) for creating the vacuum, The pipe connection 2Tshould be so positioned, constructed or arranged as to be eapable of removing any collection of liquid or fluid extracted. from'the pulp material and accumulated within the vacuum chamber 25. A simple arrangement for accomplishing this is shown wherein the exhaust pipe 27 is provided with a short extension 29 extending into said space 25. Of course, any liquid or fluid material withdrawn from the vacuum chambers through the operation of the suction apparatus is to be collected and returned-to the vat or portion (5 of the tank for use over again.

In the manufacture of pulp boards, panels or the like, it is desirable to provide for the manufacture of boards or panels of-relatively different widths. The practice heretofore has been to produce boards or panels of the same width which after completion may be severed or separated into smaller pieces of the required or desired sizes, but no provision is'made for the production of panels or boards of different widths on" the same machine. 20

I propose to accomplish this result by providing adjustable stop means by means of which the longitudinal dimension of the effective vacuum chamber 25 of the suction devices may be adjustably varied. This may be accomplished in various ways. I have shown a simple arrangement for the purpose wherein an adjustable stop plate or partition 30 is mounted within the suction box 23 24 at. or near each end thereof for adjustable movement toward and from each other, thereby enabling the machine to be set to produce a pulp sheet of any desired Width on the same machine The partition plates 30 may be adjusted in any suitable or convenient manner. A simple arrangement is shown wherein the exhaust pipe section 27 is ting 32. Of course other forms andtypes witlradjusting structures may be employed. In Fig. 3 I have indicated in diagram out-' line the pulp sheets at its various stagesof production, illustrating the action thereon of the successive suction devices and the coiling thereof into a cylindrical form. In both Figures 2 and 3 the coiling 34 of the pulp sheet into cylindrical form isshown with thesuccessive layers or coils thereof in spaced apart relation. This is merely to illustrate the ceiling action. In practice of course, the coils are wrapped more or less tightly upon and in contact with each other so as to bring the felted surfaces of the successive layers into intimate and bonding contact with each other to form a solid substantial built up roll of the desired thickness, which as before explained, is subsequently slit open longitudinally and flattened out for further treatment in the drying ovens to complete the formation of a panel, board or the like;

The pulp of course may be produced from any desired fiber substances and by any desired method of treatment. I have found that waste paper, rags, waste straw board and waste fibrous material generally are suitable materials to be used. The material employed maybe treated by boaters, by maceration, or otherwise, as is common in making up fiber pulp. The water-proof, fire-proof, insulating and like characteristics desired may be imparted to the product of the machine in the usual or any ordinary. way by incorporating the desired material in the form of solids suspended within the pulp mixture or liquid, thereby thoroughly impregnating the pulp with the desired compounds, and obtaining the highest degree of excellence in respect to the waterproof, fire-proof or insulating characteristic of the resultingproduct.

I have found that by the use of the machine above described I am enabled to increase the solid content of the impregnating substances thereby increasing the desired characteristic which is to he imparted to the product.

By maintaining the pulp carrying netting free and clear of clogging in the manner described, without depending upon the exceptional care and attention of the operator, I am enabled to produce a product which is more uniform through the body thereof,-

which is more dense and therefore stronger and in which a better bonding action takes place between successive layers or laps of the pulp sheet material employed in the production of said product. I am also en-. abled to very materially reduce thewater content of the pulp sheet, thereby not only enhancing the bonding action referred to but also avoiding surface crushing during the coiling or lapping operation to which a pulp sheet having too. high a water content is liable. I am thus enabled-to substantially increase the porosity, thickness, efficiency, strength and other desirable characteristics of the resulting product.

It is to be understood that while I have shown and'described a specific structure of apparatus embodying theprinciples of my invention, I do not desire to be limited or restricted to the specific structure and details shown.

Having now set forth the objects and nature of m invention and a construction embodying' t is principles thereof, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus for making fiber panels and boards, a series of suction devices, a wlre mesh endless CfLI'I161 operatlng past said suction devices and adapted to pick up and transport the fibrous pulp material from one to another of said suction devices'in succession to form a pulp sheet, means communicating with said suction devices and adapted to be connected to a vacuum creat- 5 i mg device to maintain-the des1red vacuum Within said suction devices and means ar ranged adjacent the line of travel of said carrier to maintain the interstices thereof pulp sheet, means connected to eaclr suction device and adapted to be connected to a vacuum creating device to maintain the desired vacuum Within said suction devices and means to vary the effective 'Width of operation of the suction devices.

3.. In an apparatus for making fiber panels and boards, a series of suction devices, a Wire mesh endless carrier operating past said suction devices in succession and adapted to pick up and transport the fibrous material from one to another thereof to form a pulp sheet, means extending into each suction device and adapted to be connected to a vacuum creating device to maintain the desired vacuum Within said suction devices and to felt the pulp sheet and means to. re-

cover from the suction devices the liquid extracted thereby from the pulp material for use over again.

4. In an apparatus els and boards, a series of suction devices, a Wire mesh endless carrier operating past suction devices and adapted to pick up and transport the fibrous pulp material from one to the other to form a pulp sheet, means communicating with the interior of each suction device and adapted to be connected to a vacuum creating device to maintain the desired vacuum Within said suction devices and to felt the surface of the sheet and clean ing jets disposed adjacent the line of travel of said carrier to maintain the interstices thereof free from clogging.

5. In an apparatus for making fiber panels and boards, a series of suction devices,

a Wire. mesh endless carrier operating past suction devices and adapted to pick up and transport the fibrous pulp material to form a pulp sheet, means communicating with the interior of each suction device and adapted to be connected to a vacuum creating device to maintain the desired vacuum within said suction devices and to felt the surface of the sheet and cleaning jets disposed adjacent the line of travel of said carrierto maintain the interst ces thereof free from for making fiber p anclogging, means to recover from the suction devices the fluid extracted from the pulp material, andmeans 'to maintain. the extracted fluid separate from the cleaning. spray or jet material.

(3. A machine of the class described, a vat or tank, suction devices-mounted over and across said vat or tank, means communicating with the interior of each suction device and adapted to be connected to a vacuum creating device for creating a vacuum in said suction devices, an endless carrier of Wire netting operating over said suctiondevices,

said-writ or tank having separated compart ments, and cleaning jets disposed adjacent the line'of travel of the endless wire netting, said cleaning jets being disposed to deliver into one of said compartments, another of .said compartments adapted to contain fibrous pulp material and means to'c ollect in another of said; compartments the liquid extracted from the pulp mate ial by the suction devices for uselover againin the pulp 'compartment.-

7. In an apparatus of the class described, suction rolls, an endless Wire netting operating thereover and a receiving roll for the pulp sheet delivered by said suction de vices, each of said suction devices includin a rotatable cylinder having a perforated cylindrical Wall and a perforated stationary cylindrical segment mounted Within said perforated Wall, meanscommunicating With the interior of each segment and adapted to be connected with the vacuum creating device to create a vacuum Within the interior of said segment, adjustable end .plates or partitions .for said segment and means to adjust said plates towards and from each vacuum to extract the liquid content thereof While the sheet is continually carried or progressed forward, the vacuum action being exerted on opposite sides or surfaces of the pulp sheet to felt the same upon both surfaces thereof, andfinally coiling or lapping,

the felted surfaces of the sheet upon itself to bond together the. successive layers or coils thereof.

9. The process of making fibrous panels or boards which consists in forming fibrous pulp material into a thin sheet and subjecting such sheet successively to the action of vacuum to extract the liquid' content thereof While the sheet is continually carried or progressed forward, the vacuum action being exerted on opposite sides or surfaces of the ulp sheet to felt the same upon both sur- 'aces thereof, then ceiling or lapping the felted surfaces of the sheet upon itself to Iltl bond together the successive layers or coils thereof, and finally removing any clogging of the pulp sheet carrier without arresting the continuous action thereof.

10.'The process of makingcfibrous panels or boards which consists in impregnating a ulp mass with a compound containing so id particles, and forming the impregnated mass into a thin pulp sheet, then continuously advancing such sheet and subjecting the same to vacuum on the respective surfaces thereof to extract the liquid content therefrom and to felt such surfaces, and

then super osing successive portions of the felted sur ace of the sheet upon itself to bond them together to produce a'strong, light, porous and efficient product.

11. In an apparatus for making fiber panels and boards, a series of suction devices, each adapted to be connected to a vacuum creating device, an endless Wire mesh carrier operating partially over, under, and

over said suction devices and operating to pick up and transport the fibrous pulp mat erial from one to another of said suction devices in successive order, to form the pulp into a sheet, and to felt the respective surfaces of the sheet.

' 12. In an apparatus for making fiber panels andboards, a series of suction devices, each adapted to be connected to a vacuum creating device, an endless wire mesh carrier operating partly over and un- WILFORD B. HOGGATT.

der and over said suction devices to pick 

